Wisdom teeth are a pain. Some of us are unaffected by them, others develop painful conditions that require their immediate removal. It is not always a wise decision to keep your wisdom teeth.
What are wisdom teeth?
Wisdom teeth are your third molars that are way in the back of your mouth. You usually have four wisdom teeth, one in each corner of your mouth – two on top, two on bottom. Wisdom teeth are the last of your teeth to come in, or erupt through the gums. They normally emerge between ages 17 and 25, a time of life that has been called the “Age of Wisdom.”
Anthropologists note that the rough diet of early humans resulted in the excessive wear of their teeth. Normal drifting of the teeth to compensate for this wear ensured that space was available for most wisdom teeth to erupt by adolescence. The modern diet, which is much softer, and the popularity of orthodontic tooth straightening procedures produce a fuller dental arch, which quite commonly doesn’t leave room for the wisdom teeth to erupt, thereby setting the stage for problems when the final four molars enter the mouth.
What are impacted wisdom teeth?
Wisdom teeth do not always cause complications or pain, but because many people have too little space in their jaw, they sometimes grow at an angle, pushing on, or getting stuck against, other teeth. This is known as impacted wisdom teeth, and it affects almost three out of four people in their 20s. A trip to the dentist for an x-ray of your teeth can tell you if your wisdom teeth are impacted.
What are the symptoms of impacted wisdom teeth?
Symptoms include:
Pain or jaw stiffness near an impacted tooth.
Pain or irritation from a tooth coming in at an awkward angle and rubbing against your cheek, tongue, or top or bottom of the mouth.
An infected swelling in the flap of gum tissue that has formed on top of an impacted tooth that has partially broken through the gum.
Crowding of other teeth.
Tooth decay or gum disease if there’s not enough room to properly care for the wisdom tooth and surrounding teeth.
Why remove wisdom teeth?
Wisdom teeth generally cause problems when they erupt partially through the gum. Below are the most common reasons for removing wisdom teeth.
Tooth decay: Saliva, bacteria and food particles can collect around an impacted wisdom tooth, causing it, or the next tooth to decay. It is very difficult to remove such decay. Pain and infection will usually follow.
Gum infection: When a wisdom tooth is partially erupted, food and bacteria collect under the gum causing a local infection. This may result in bad breath, pain, swelling and the inability to open your mouth fully. The infection can spread to involve the cheek and neck. Once the initial episode occurs, each subsequent attack becomes more frequent and more severe.
Pressure pain: Pain may also come from the pressure of the erupting wisdom tooth against other teeth. In some cases this pressure may cause the erosion of these teeth.
Prosthetic reasons: Patients who are to have dentures constructed should have any wisdom tooth removed. If a wisdom tooth erupts beneath a denture it will cause severe irritation and if removed, the patient will need to have a new denture constructed as the shape of the gum will have changed.
Cyst formation: A cyst (fluid filled sac) can develop from the soft tissue around an impacted wisdom tooth. Cysts cause bone destruction, jaw expansion and displacement or damage to nearby teeth. The removal of the tooth and cyst is necessary to prevent further bone loss. Tumors may develop within these cysts or the jaw may fracture spontaneously if the cyst grows very large.
When should I have my wisdom teeth removed?
It isn’t wise to wait until your wisdom teeth start to bother you. In general, earlier removal of wisdom teeth results in a less complicated healing process. Wisdom teeth can be removed by the time the patient is a young adult in order to prevent future problems and to ensure optimal healing. Older patients may be at greater risk for disease, including periodontitis, in the tissues surrounding the third molars and adjacent teeth. Periodontal infections may affect your general health also.
How can I prevent impacted wisdom teeth?
Unfortunately there isn’t much you can do about the angle your wisdom teeth will erupt at. However you can try to prevent infection of the erupting tooth by practicing good dental hygiene. Adequate brushing and flossing is essential.
Although wisdom tooth surgery is not something people look forward to, modern surgical and anaesthetic techniques have now combined to make such surgery a far more acceptable experience than in the past.